xp_logs | Oh, you meant NOW?

Doug comes down to visit Em in the medlab.

"I hate you!" Marie threw a crumpled tissue at her laptop and reached for another. "Damnit, you're so frustrating!" Her voice carried clearly through the propped-open door to her room. She sat cross-legged on the bed in her white pyjamas with her laptop, tissues, and a bowl of Smarties all in easy reach. She wiped at her cheeks with the new tissue and, crumpling it, threw it at the screen as well.

In the hallway, Doug's face softened. Crying girls just always seemed to set off some instinct deep within him to try and help fix things somehow. ~I haven't even met her yet and already I just want to fix everything for her. Smooth, Doug. Remember your lesson from meeting Paige. Just be you and get to know her.~ Breathing in, Doug tapped very timidly on the doorframe. 'Hello?'

Marie froze in the act of crumpling another tissue with which to assault her laptop. "Oh..." she said in a small voice. "Hi." She straightened up and wiped at her cheeks with the back of her hand. "Hi."

Doug entered the room timidly, the sight of Marie's bruises calling even deeper to that part of him that longed to fix everything for people. *Down, boy. Just talk to her, and stay cool.* Doug gave a little half wave. 'Er, hi. I'm Doug.'

"Oh, hi." Marie sighed and gestured at herself. "Sorry... you caught me in... nevermind. Come on in." She smiled at him and the tears faded. "I didn't think you were coming down right *now*. It's good to meet you at last. I'd shake hands, but..." She held up her right arm, indicating the cast. "Here." She offered her left hand, gloved in white.

'Well, I didn't have much else to do, and it kinda seemed like you could use someone to actually talk to in person. So I volunteered.' Doug smiled a wry, self-deprecating grin. Just to be a little silly, he took the hand in his right and kissed Marie's knuckles. Straightening up, he blushed slightly. 'Er, sorry. The whole glove thing just sort of cried out for it.'

Marie stared at him for a moment and then started to laugh. "...I guess so..." she said, shaking her head. "I never looked at it that way." She held out her hand, palm up. "For your protection, really. And mine."

Doug nodded, a bit more serious. 'Jamie warned me. I'm ... sorry.' He moved in and hopped up on the bed, careful to give Marie her personal space.

Marie shrugged and then winced. "It is what it is, you know? There's no being sorry about it. I think I came to terms with it earlier this summer, figured out the gift that came with it... that I'd never have just a normal life. I miss the way it was, but I'll make the best of it." She leaned back on her pillows and held out the bowl of Smarties. "Smarties? Moira's my chocolate dealer. I give her DNA to look at and she gives me chocolate."

Doug accepted and munched on the Smarties. 'Sounds like you're getting the better end of the bargain on that score. And I don't think I've gotten the chance to meet Dr. Mactaggart yet.'

"She's nice. I just met her last night. She poked me with a needle and gave me hot chocolate. It works for me." She tilted her head and gave him a searching look. "So, you're our mystery package, are you? How are you finding it here?"

'Mystery package? Oh, right. The not-sure-if-I'm-a-mutant thing. Well, I really miss home sometimes, but after the overload wore off, I've been really enjoying living here. Cute girls, an awesome roommate, and I live across the hall from Alison Blaire. That one still hasn't quite sunk in.' Doug chuckled somewhat wryly at himself.

"That's good. It's a good place and the people are nice." She shot her laptop a look that was half-frustration, half-affection. "Even the frustrating ones."

Doug nodded, understanding. 'John?'

She nodded with a wry smile. "Yeah. Of course. The big jerk. It's over already, though. I mean, me being pissed with him above and beyond my usual level of 'pissed at John' -- that's one of the few things in life that I can rely on." She sighed and reached for some Smarties.

Doug folded his legs Indian-style and leaned on the footboard of the bed. 'The thing is, he really is an okay person behind all that I-don't-give-a-shit posturing crap. It's just that he doesn't really let anyone see behind the mask.'

Marie stifled a smile, biting her lip. "I see... you've spent some time with him, have you?"

Doug looked off nowhere in particular. 'Being new, there was some interpersonal stuff I just wasn't understanding, and he was nice enough to give me some background. He ... hurts, but he is too proud to let anyone see it. I mean, it's not anything he said, but I can just ... tell.' He shrugs, embarassed. 'If that makes any sense, and if it's even right.'

"I can understand that. Hurting doesn't make someone a nice person, though." Her expression went from slightly amused to pensive all of a sudden. "Even Erik hurt. And Stanley. It's the hurt that poisons, usually."

Doug nodded. 'I know. It builds up inside and eats you up if you can't let go of it.' He wrings his hands, slightly agitated. 'I just ... I see so much _hurt_ in people around here. John, you ... and I just wish I could help fix things.' He chuckles slightly bitterly. 'But in the end, there isn't all that much I can do except try to be there.'

"Being there is about half of it, I think." She tapped the laptop and put the screen to sleep. "Really, just being there and being... kind of a witness... to someone's pain. Not judging, not trying to fix it but making it okay for it to happen. That's so much harder than it sounds. The other half is knowing how to read someone, to lead them to the answers they already know, or would know if they could see them." She sighed. "Yeah, it's the not being able to let it out that ends up doing us in. Me, I've learned to let it the hell go most of the time, just let it out. Sometimes I have no pride. It's probably saved my life."

Doug nodded, carefully reaching over to touch a gloved hand. 'That's good. I think there are probably some people who would be very said if you weren't around. I know that there were a lot of people very worried while you were gone.' Blushing slightly, he leaned back. 'And, um, if you ever need someone to let it out on, someone to, uh, witness your pain and make it okay, I'm there.'

"Thanks, that's sweet of you. You don't know what you're getting into, but I'll keep it in mind. It's always good to have a safety-net." She frowned at him a little. "Don't go trying to fix everyone in your first month, okay? I mean... there's more to do than make people better. And, we function, for the most part, and sometimes that's about all we can do. Just don't burn yourself out on people."

'I ...' Doug stared down at his folded hands. 'Yeah. Sometimes I think I'm too noble for my own good, trying to go around helping fix every problem people have.'

"It's hard... but just be careful. It's no good if you fall apart because you're on a crusade that there's just no end to. I've been here a while. The term 'a world of hurt' applies."

There was a soft knock on the doorframe and Hank's form loomed in the doorway.

"Excuse me, but it's getting late. Marie, here you go." He held out a glass of water and a small paper cup with two tablets in it.

Doug hopped off the bed and stammered. 'Oh. Um. Sorry. Didn't realize it was so late. I should probably, um.'

Marie put aside her laptop. "It's okay. Thanks for coming down." She took the water and the tablets from Hank. "Hopefully I'll be out of here soon, but if you get bored being upstairs, you can always come visit." She gave Doug a warm smile. "It was nice to actually get to meet you." [d]

Doug smiled back hesitantly. 'It was nice to get to meet you too. And the reverse is true. If you would like a friendly face down here, just let me know, okay?'

"I will. And don't forget to take care of yourself, right?" Marie took the tablets and handed the glass back to Hank, who gave Doug a nod and a smile as he went back to his own business.

Doug stops at the doorframe and looks back. 'You do the same, Marie.' And quietly, Doug slipped out of the room to wander back upstairs.